MOULTRIE – As usual, the Colquitt County football team will try to build depth and avoid injuries during spring drills, which will begin Tuesday, April 29.
But the Packers also will use the nine practice days and spring game at Coffee to begin installing a new defense.
The Tuesday spring practice opener will begin at 3:40 p.m.
But the sessions on May 1, May 3, May 5, May 8, May 9 and May 13 will be at 6:30 a.m.
Packers coach Sean Calhoun said he likes the morning sessions because it allows the staff to attend ninth-grade practices in the afternoons.
They also give college recruiters an opportunity to catch an early session before heading off to other schools’ afternoon practices.
The Packers also will practice at 3:40 p.m. on May 6 and May 14.
The spring game at Coffee will begin 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 15.
Calhoun said the staff will take rising ninth-graders to Douglas to participate in the spring game.
The Packers are coming off a 2024 season in which they won a third-straight region championship, but finished 8-4.
Jeremy Rowell, who oversaw the Packers defense the last three seasons, has taken a similar job at Veterans High in Warner Robins and veteran Stan Luttrell will run the unit this season.
Luttrell has been a coach for more than 20 years, including tenures as a head coach at Chestatee, Johnson and Hebron Christian.
He has coached the linebackers and run Colquitt County’s strength and conditioning program the last three years, but also has served as a defensive coordinator at Gainesville and Habersham Central.
Luttrell will take charge of a unit that lost several key performers, including defensive linemen Amari Wilson and Jartavius Flounoy and cornerback Jah’Boris Fuller.
But while Wilson and Flounoy will be missed, the defensive line has some other players who got significant playing time last season.
Returning are Stacey Lambright III, Nyneson Jeudy Jr., Kamdon Gay, Ja’Corey Anderson and Ty’Mhyr Moore.
“We’re still bringing back a solid foundation,” Calhoun said.
Brayden Ruis will be the most experienced linebacker returning, but Zach Palmore, Markeverin Graham, Davion Enoch and De’Shaun Office got reps last season.
Move-in Mckenzie Graham could help as well, Calhoun said.
Although Jah’Boris Fuller, who is headed to Valdosta State, will be missed in the secondary, veterans Alfonzo McNeil, Josh Alford and Ry’Sheed Fuller will be back.
Ry’Sheed Fuller already has three college offers.
Luke Strong, Za’Rian Robinson, Kaden King and Ni’Shawn Osby, who has moved from offense, also could make their ways into the mix.
Before next season, the Packers will have to find a way to fill the big hole created by the graduation of record-setting kicker Brett Fitzgerald, his snapper Chason Glenn and holder Logan Morris.
Calhoun said most of the time filling those positions will come during the summer.
Offensively, the Packers lost leading rusher Day’Shawn Brown to Carson-Newman, but have highly recruited rising senior Jae Lamar coming back.
While Lamar, who has a number of Division I offers, is expected to get most of the carries, the Packers have veteran Ja’Mari Stokes and Jason Stephenson to back him up.
Cohen Lawson, who started much of the season at quarterback last year as a freshman, will be back.
Backup A’Zhiyen Alridge will get work at quarterback, but also will battle for a starting wide receiver position.
Arbashaun Curry Jr. and rising ninth-grader Michael Fowler Jr., son of ninth-grade coach Michael Fowler, will push Lawson and Alridge.
Also in the wide receiver group are Malik Walker, Na’Ryan Sumlin and promising rising sophomore Gavin Henderson.
Tight ends Alexis Barge, Ethan Ruffin and Conner Norman are back.
The offensive line took a big hit, losing starters Khalil Collins, Casey Scott, Matthew Dillon and Ja’Kari Byrd.
The only full-time starter returning is right guard Jamaal Jackson. Ethan Yingling filled in at center when Dillon missed the Tift County game because of an injury.
Kaden Calhoun is expected to be in the mix this season and Canyon Cook, John Alderman, Miguel Contreras, Landan Beverly, Kordae Meyers and Jace Davis will push for playing time.
The Packers also will have two move-in offensive linemen in Kavon Thomas and Sawyer McCard who could help.
“And, of course, we have the guy who I consider the best offensive line coach in the state,” Calhoun said of Bryce Giddens.
“I couldn’t be more pleased by the way the kids have attacked everything we’ve asked of them since January,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun is putting the finishing touches on his 2025 staff.
Expected to return on the offensive side of the ball are Giddens, offensive coordinator/running backs coach John Cooper, receivers coaches David Hill Jr. and former Packer Quin Roberson and tight ends coach Buck Hanson.
Joining Luttrell’s defensive staff will be defensive backs coach Dextra Polite, safeties coach and special teams coordinator Brian Simmons and former assistant Zach Stanaland, who was the defensive coordinator at Tattnall County last season.
The varsity Packers will compete in three 7-on-7 competitions this summer: June 11 at Florida State, June 18 at Florida and June 23 at Florida A&M.
Colquitt will send a group of players to the padded camp at Cairo on June 24 and June 26.
Colquitt will play host to its own padded camp at the high school on July 14-15.
Marshall Locke will return as head coach of the ninth-grade team.
Andy Harden and JaKobe Shealey will join veterans Fowler, Ian Brinson, Trey Perkins and Cory Harper on Locke’s staff.
Calhoun also announced that Todd Myrick will take over as the head coach of the 2025 sixth-grade team.
Former sixth-grade head coach Travis Register will become the defensive coordinator of the eighth-grade team.
The seventh- and eighth-grade teams will continue their spring practice session on April 28-May 1. Their practices are at 4 p.m. at the football stadium.
The sixth-grade team will begin practices following the July 4 dead week.